those orders, how is your relationship with the gop leaders in the house? rep. abraham: good. i think we have good leaders. -- in louisiana, we're lucky to have the leader there. he brings character and clarity to the situation but also some power. we wantve an issue that to bring to the front burner, we go to school lease. host: you spoke about your background, what is in your background that best qualified you for being a member of congress? rep. abraham: probably the veterinarian and physician role. it takes on study to get to those places in life. being here in congress, you have to do your homework. you don't just come up here and show up. when i go home at night, i'm reading material for the

previous committee hearings from the week. my staff gives me tasks to do that also bolsters my knowledge base for whatever is coming down the pike. it takes a lot of after-hours work to stay ahead of the game. you have to stay ahead of the game. host: when of the members we spoke with, speaking of after-hours work, a number of them are staying in their offices, and living in accommodations in their offices. rep. abraham: early on i was a member of that club because of the finances. i refused to pay exorbitant rent fees. i am pretty tight with a dollar. until diane found us something affordable, and fairly reasonable, i did camp on the couch for a couple of weeks. now, i have a little apartment across town. the rent is still high but

manageable. host: you get home to louisiana every weekend? rep. abraham: almost every weekend. i prefer to go home every weekend because i get to see the people that i represent. the week that we get off each month, we go back to the district is the favorite week of the month for may. host: -- for me. host: what should insiders know about how their government runs? rep. abraham: the good news is that there is still a lot of bipartisan support. we passed 85% of the bills that come down from leadership. on a bipartisan basis. we could not do it without help from our democratic colleagues. there are certainly some ideology and issues that we will never agree on. let's go back to the founders. that is what they wanted.

we needed and wanted a debate. if we agreed on everything, there would be no need for us to be here. our peoplerepresent and that will cause some divisiveness sometimes. more often than not though, we get along better than most people think we do. host: do you find it more or less bipartisan than you imagined? rep. abraham: more. i knew there would be some. i have been surprised, refreshingly, that there has been more than i anticipated. we are able to do business for the nation and good business. host: you talked about your committees and the amount of reading you have to do, before we started our conversation on camera we were talking about an epa hearing. do you find that you get enough time to get your questions answered? rep. abraham: no. answer --e minutes to

to ask or say a statement. i wish there were times that i had 30 minutes. you have 10 or 15 people on a committee, that is not doable. host: you're often being yanked out of those hearings for some sort of vote on the house floor. how many times have you found yourself going to the house floor not knowing what the vote was about and either the with pas to fill you in -- the whi has to fill you in. rep. abraham: we have discussed that before. knowing what we are voting on, i know that every day. if there are amendments or issues that have an undertow that i need to seek leadership opinion on, i can go to mccarthy

who is only on the floor. i look at my louisiana delegation. we have some very good congressman that have been here for a while. they know the issues. i will talk to them. host: the top one or two items that you have been working on in this early part of the 114th? rep. abraham: it has been issues with fema. , goingly on the epa role back to my farmers and ranchers as far as how the epa is affecting their livelihood. ,hey expect me to push back express their interests, and be their representative. host: those issues concerning fema -- is that a fallout from hurricane katrina? rep. abraham: yes. raise the plant to a 500 year plan versus 100. if we do that in louisiana since

we are already low level, up to 40% of louisiana it's only be in a floodplain. i can't let that happen. that affects insurance rates, how we built structures. these are things we have to be on guard against. these issues, sometimes weekly. slipped under the radar. our job is to watch the gate and close it and it needs to be closed. you mentioned your flying experience with the reserves in the national guard. you're a pilot. what you like about piloting an airplane? rep. abraham: there is nothing i do not like. there is a freedom that those who do fly understand. if i am not working here or in the district, i am usually up in the clouds flying. i do fly for the civil air patrol. i fly for the coast guard. i get to use my skills in a good way.

i enjoy it. it is a passion. host: as both military and civil aviator, what are your policy concerns about civil aviation and the issue of drones? rep. abraham: let's go back to my agriculture district. we have cropped dusters that are flying right now as we are speaking every day. high.re flying at head if they hit a drone which would be possible, it would bring them down and probably kill them. rulesa has issued some for drones right now that are being talked about, debated, but we have airspace issues with the drones. they are here to stay. they offer some wonderfully good potential for mapping, agricultural sites, irrigation sites. i think the potential is unlimited but -- we also have

people who are flying these ,ircraft in the same airspace talking about right here at reagan. if a drone pops up with a jet coming in bringing passengers, and hits a windshield, trust me, it could do some major damage. the faa has its task cut out. we have people recently who stopped fires from being fought because drones were in the way of aircraft from delivering water to that area. it has to be worked out. and it has to be worked out soon because they are becoming popular. host: there are a lot of caucuses in the house, is there a pilot caucus? rep. abraham: there is an aviation when. i am also a member of the physicians and veterinarians caucus. there are a few of us across the nation. it has moved from being a physician to veterinarian.

others have moved the other way. i consider it a lateral move. to me, it was more difficult to get into that school than medical school. the competition was much higher. fortunate to get in. and stay at the veterinary school. it was difficult. inis a hard-core spirit medical school it was a little easier. host: you continue to do farming work? rep. abraham: it is invaluable for farming work. i drove a tractor and i can basically do anything on a farm that needs to be done as far as raising a crop, growing a crop and irrigating it and harvesting it. bush hogging is when you take a large mower and you clip pastor. -- pasture. host: when we started, we look

at something you have on the wall. this is a letter that you have from george washington to the sultan of morocco. rep. abraham: my wife found that at a rummage sale. she picked that up somewhere in the district. because it up here goes back to our founders. even back in that day, washington understood as most of our founders did, the potential of this nation and how great it probably would be. even at that point, washington was reaching across the pond, across the borders to other nations saying -- we are growing. force to be to be a dealt with and we want you to be a friend and part of our growth. that is what this letter is about. a copy of thet constitution with that letter to the sultan of morocco. it goes back to our history. that is what i am afraid we are forgetting in this country --

where we came from. we came from good stock. host: what you think the best way -- how do we get people to read those documents more frequently? rep. abraham: when i am in the district, i talked to people. i spoke about the constitution and the declaration. when i talked to any educational group, especially youngsters, they are going to get a copy of the constitution and a copy of the declaration of independence. i tell stories about it so it will entice them to open that first page. once they start reading, i go back and ask them if they read it. they say they did. the verb -- the verbiage that was used in those days is unlike what we see today. the pros that they used and the wording is phenomenal. people still recognize and appreciate that.

once they start reading the constitution or especially the declaration of independence which is such a wonderful document. they are hooked. rob abraham,sman louisiana fifth district. think you so much for joining us. >> c-span3 congressional freshmen profile series continues with democrat brenda lawrence of michigan's 14th district. congress, she worked for the postal service and served on her local school board and as mayor of southfield, michigan. since coming to washington, she has been appointed the senior democratic whip. we spoke with representative lawrence in her office for almost 30 minutes. representative brenda lawrence, democrat from 1 -- from michigan. house,you came to the you spent a long career working in the federal government. what kind of work did you do and what perspective did it give you on the seat that you now hold? rep. lawrence: i'm proud to say

i was a postal employee in the united states postal service. i came in being a letter carrier. actually, walking door-to-door in the weather. i worked my way up to management retire --30 years to to transition from management district job to go and be full-time as mayor of my community. host: what perspective did he give you as a member of the house now on how government should be working? rep. lawrence: it is a government agency. knowing the checks and balances. not being frustrated with that. oferstanding the impact althoughg tax dollars, the postal service generated its own revenue, the perception was taxpayer generated.

was thathe about that we were regulated by the federal government. there were some internal controls and restraints. role inctation of our public service to the country was extremely consistent throughout my service. , i served inr customer service where i had the responsibility of delivering the mail. that gave me early on in my career, as the first job that i had, a respect of public service. host: you were born and raised in detroit, michigan. what was that like? what did you see over the years and up to present day? rep. lawrence: being born and raised in detroit was amazing. i grew up in the motown area. we were passionate about our

cars. our manufacturing industry was in our blood. we know the story of detroit. we peaked during my lifetime and then we saw a huge decline. i am so excited to represent the city of detroit at this time. everything is coming back to life. it was almost like we were dying on the vine and now as we see the auto industry has rebound. manufacturing is being redefined . the definition -- we are still a major player in detroit. crisisthe foreclosure devastate our region and out to see those homes being bought and occupied again is a great time. you feel like you are coming back to life. i am excited to be a part of that and to have lived through it hearing it is my home. and now to see it coming back to life. what originally drew you

to public service, elected office, and how did it all start for you? rep. lawrence: it all started with pta. i was an active. in my children's education. every time we wanted something done, we had to go to that board. and talk to that people and the board members. i said i want to be on that word because i do not think they get it. i think we can do a better job. thes a little reluctant -- story of women going into politics. i was encouraged to do it. when i won the first time out, it was amazing. it was like a rush. then it became very sobering because then i realized that these people placed their trust in me. every time i have won an election, and i have one school

board, city council, mayor for 14 years. and now, to be a member of congress -- i have taken that initial sober moment when i sat there after being so exhilarated over winning, and now i am an elected official. is a vote of confidence from the people. you have a responsibility. every time i took a vote, i was over a school district, over thousands of children. their opportunities and their future. i have taken every single job that i have had that the public has put their trust in me, seriously. i define it as being a public servant. host: you were the first woman and first african-american mayor of southfield. what did that mean at the time? what does it mean to you present day? tell me about southfield. rep. lawrence: when i was

elected, a reporter came to the , becauseo me and said the city was primarily think itmerican, did i was because of the african-americans? said, thence: i people of southfield elected me to be there mayor. i am going to use every skill set, all of the passion i can't to represent the city and to provide the government services and public services this city deserves. womancided to create me a and blessed my skin with this beautiful brown color. if you want to talk about my race, talk to god. i want to talk about what i'm going to do for my city. i do not take lightly the fact that i am a woman and the first to be in that seat. nor the history and legacy and challenges of being an

african-american in america. that't take that like lately. i want to be a role model. every time i see a little girl or an african-american say when i go to schools, that i am a mayor, and now they can say i am a congresswoman, i tell them they can to. i take that seriously. women, i tellto them they can stand on my shoulders. we are still a minority. 43 in the u.s.ly house of congress. , to havee increased the voice of the people i represent, to have the diversity of my life and experience at the table to debate issues, to be a woman in congress and to be able to fight for those issues that i

feel are important for women. childcare. issues about eating a caregiver. to make choices about our own reproductive rights, are important. i do not take them lightly. to say that i have been given this opportunity, i am wearing it with pride and a tremendous amount of responsibility. i'm excited to be here. host: what is the connection between being a mayor and a member of congress? being a mayor, -- have a lot more the national impact. i owned my city. i knew every single block of it. if i wanteddown --

to know how people felt about an issue, it was manageable. , and yougo to congress get feedback from so many different interest groups. issue, thete on an impact which i've never taken lightly, the impact on the is very sobering moments. i liked as a fresh woman, but we say freshmen. time when i received a letter from the president asking permission to initiate military force. that was so great. i had a police force. we went to save people. we went to take care of the city. if there was a bad guy, we were trained to do that.

was a verytary force sobering moment. intimacy of my constituents. i love going home for district time. i get to touch the people and hear from them and get that mark? of -- mi meeting my -- am i meeting my mark? that is why i wanted to run for congress. to give you an example. the highway trust fund. to talk about issues about minimum wage. education. these are issues we are talking about and i know the intimate impact on our federal laws right down to the person or to the home. that is why i wanted to run for congress. i felt that the boys and experience was lacking.

i never want to lose touch with my constituents and those i represent. host: your district has been described as a combination of vastly different communities. how it the district -- is made up and who is there? i have some of the most wealthy communities, not only in michigan, but also in the country. and somee, detroit other communities have gone through some extreme challenges with criminal justice and education reform and violence. some of the most challenging issues, social issues played out in my district. finance, and bankruptcy that you saw detroit go through. i have four communities in my district that are going through

or coming out of being under a financial manager. theddition to that, i have largest number of middle eastern population in my district and in the neighboring districts. i have issues playing out in yemen -- all of these are my constituents. where some congress members may not be dealing with what is happening in yemen except for a broad discussion, these are my constituents and they are family. that has been an issue and a responsibility for me when it casework, when it comes to my being sensitive. i have a large jewish population. and it ish israel very important that i represent them. social justice issues.

they want me to have a voice and stand up and fight for them. what is happening when it comes to policing in america. our education. title i. it breaks my heart because i know the impact for those children who are in poverty that title i has on their ability to succeed in an educational system. will call that not normal because there are so many challenges for them. this is an opportunity. when i talk about the diverse -- diverse nets. in addition, i have water. michigan. i have water all around me. they are very passionate that i need to protect their water. issueen you have, the that people -- the issues that people are split on. choice. life. when we talk about funding for

our roads. michigan is one of the worst in the country. we need to invest in our infrastructure. i am so proud that i am -- i started a task force, a caucus on skilled trades. i am from a manufacturing environment. i saw factories close and moved to mexico. now, the industry is coming back. what you see, where the person used to stand there and well -- weld a door together, a robot does that. that job does not exist. that robot needs someone to angram it, it needs electronics technician to repair it. here you are with a brand-new set of opportunities and while we are doing well with engineers , across the country, there is a huge gap and only 30% of our

children go to college. we in america do not support skilled trades. you would i both know, i don't care how rich you are, when your toilet doesn't work, you need a plumber. when the lights act working, you need an electrician. when the computer stops working, you need a programmer. --se are skilled trades jobs we are going to have to focus and support them. i submitted a bill that if you as a manufacturing company will take one of your employees and train them in a skilled trade, we will give you a tax incentive up to 20% to do that. we as a government must be partners in addressing the skills gap and the unemployment in america. host: you mentioned a diverse portfolio. how do you balance your time between the work you need to do on the hill, committees, hearings, the floor, constituent

visits. and going back home and doing that and raising money for reelection? rep. lawrence: it is a grind. what is the major difference between being a mayor -- i had more control of my life. here, you have to make the commitment. every member has a scheduler. a full-time job. and have your schedule time for my granddaughter who is the light of my life. my husband of 40 plus years. i have trained him. i do not have time to train another. i want to keep them. you have to schedule time to be with your family. funds fort raising money. i am still celebrating winning congress and i am already preparing for reelection. i am right back into the campaign mode. and then, when you talk about the